


Another's Aftermath

by freezerjerky



Series: The Passage of Time [10]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Break Up, M/M, Rimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 10:50:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8888011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freezerjerky/pseuds/freezerjerky
Summary: Nothing leads to reflections on a relationship quite like thinking about other people's relationships.





	1. Chapter 1

When Merlin gets the call from Lance, he almost wishes he could say he's surprised. Lance sounds dejected, but mostly flat. There's resignation hanging on every word. This is the inevitable and Lance will handle it with the absolute utmost grace and dignity. When he offers to come by, Lance dismisses him and says that Percy's coming by to take him on a drive someplace. Later he learns they drove out to the countryside and sat without speaking for a few hours.  
  
The most surprsing thing to Merlin is that he's the first person Gwen wants to see after it all. Elyan is back out traveling the world, somewhere in South America this time. He goes to her flat and she recruits him to help her stress bake. Gwen chatters on, never taking up too much of the conversation, but always having something worthwhile to say.  
Merlin can hear the sorrow in her voice, but there's also the edge of relief. She admits readily and freely to having been in love with Lance, but says there's just some fundamental misunderstanding between them.  
  
"I don't want to say he didn't really love me as I was, that wasn't it," she explains as she takes a taste of brownie batter. "It was just all so fast and I think I would just let him take over my life. Like he'd have all the control. And that's just not healthy, you know? I like him too much for the relationship to turn out like that."  
  
Merlin nods and then helps her pour the batter. Things had seemed to happen so fast between them, it was the type of thing everyone got caught up in. He supposes he saw the same potential in his relationship with Arthur, but he felt like they understood each other better, and sought to understand each other more actively.  
  
"I think he's sort of the one that got away, in a strange way, though." Gwen slides the pan into the oven. "It makes no sense, because I let him go, but he's still always going to be that person who I wonder about. I wish him well."  
  
"I'm sure he'll have trouble finding someone as good as you, but there's going to be someone out there that makes him happy."  
  
"I just know I'm lucky to have had time with him and I hope he feels remotely the same about me."  
  
It's not Merlin's place to speak, but he knows Lance had waxed poetic about Gwen before, had said she'd be the type of girl he could marry. In retrospect, they hadn't been dating long enough for that, but romance has a way of blinding us all.  
  


  
August comes, the same as every year. There's been a heatwave in July and everyone has been in their own separate worlds. Merlin feels like interactions with his friends are awkward and tense, the way they often are when there's a breakup or some major change but soon things settle back into the normal routine. It's only a few weeks after that Lance and Gwen both show up at a group dinner and embrace warmly. There's baited breath for a few moments when everyone wonders if maybe, just maybe, they've reconciled, but then Gwen makes her way to the other end of the table and that settles that.  
  
Merlin wonders what would happen if he and Arthur ever broke up, given how well their groups have intermingled in so short of a time. Maybe this is just temporary for everyone involved. Mordred would have to go through a crisis if he had to choose sides, and the rest would be left feeling awkward for a long time to come. Hopefully they'd handle it with the grace of Gwen, seated between Morgana and Leon and laughing and chatting the whole night, or the dignity of Lance, who only cast a few forlorn glances her way. Mostly, he's glad he doesn't have to make that decision.  
  
That night, he goes home with Arthur. It's a work night and he had every intention of going back to his own flat, but Arthur asks if he's coming home with him and there's no part of him that wants to say no. They go directly to bed, even though it's early. He suspects Arthur's feeling the same sense of vulnerability he is when there's a reverence as he removes each article of clothing.  
  
"I don't want to end up like them," Arthur murmurs against his stomach, between kisses. "They'd barely begun and now they can't even sit near each other."  
  
"I'm assuming you mean Lance and Gwen."  
  
"Sorry I'm all caught up in my head."  
  
Arthur moves back up the bed and lays down beside Merlin.  
  
"We've barely begun, but we knew each other longer before, yeah? I knew exactly what I was getting into." Merlin cups his cheek, leaning in to kiss him softly. He reaches then for the hem of Arthur's jumper and pulls it off, forcing Arthur to lift his arms.  
  
"I like your friends. I like the idea of a life with you," Arthur continues. "I'm so afraid to lose this."  
  
"So am I. So let's keep this, let's keep each other. Now, take your trousers off, please."  
  
The smile that earns Merlin is worthwhile, in the dim light of Arthur's bedside lamp. He's rewarded with the removal of both Arthur's trousers and pants and then they're blissfully, happily naked.  
  
"What do you want to do with me, then?" Arthur asks, giving a brow waggle.  
  
"I thought maybe you'd want to fuck me, but that's your choice."  
  
Arthur leans in, starting to kiss along his neck. "I'd like that, too. Where'd we put the lube?"  
  
Instead of making a snide remark about it being Arthur's flat and that he should know, Merlin moves to fetch the lube from the bedside table on his side of the bed. It's got an assortment of Merlin's things in it, and the lube which he put there for safe keeping. He tosses it over to Arthur before laying in the middle of the bed.  
  
The preparations are awkward and Merlin almost kicks Arthur in the face twice, but it all feels worthwhile when Arthur's rocking slowly inside of him. Merlin's on his back, with his legs wrapped around Arthur's waist, keeping him close, driving him in. He suspect this is what they both need right now. They don't talk much, just words of endearment or encouragement.  
  
Merlin can tell Arthur's getting close and he wants him to come, but he's having a hard time himself, the position makes it harder for him to touch himself. He can wait until after, but he wants to try something else to push him over the edge. He carefully moves his legs, and pushes Arthur gently away.  
  
"Hands and knees," Merlin explains, and Arthur's more or less manhandling him into position moments later. (Merlin finds he really enjoys this part of sex with Arthur- Arthur using his strength for his pleasure.)  
  
The new position allows Arthur to move deeper, and gives him easier access to Merlin's cock. He strokes him as he thrusts, and soon he's pushed over the edge. When he's come, he focuses all of his attention on Merlin's needs, pulling out only to replace his cock with two fingers, thrusting them in time with his hand.  
  
A soft and breathy moan escapes Merlin until Arthur grips the base of his cock, staving off his pleasure just a few more moments as he feels something else press against his hole. Arthur teases his tongue inside, thrusting along with his fingers. Merlin swats Arthur's hand away from his cock, allowing him to focus on what he's doing with his other hand. He has to slump partially down to take himself in hand but he manages, stroking hard and fast until he's completely blissed out.  
  
The aftermath is one of those hazy moments that only occur after orgasm. When they're both satisfied, they move to the bathroom to clean up with damp flannels. Arthur is, as always, very attentive in making sure Merlin's not hurt and he's adequately clean but Merlin ends up shooing him away, demanding he brushes his teeth before he does anything else that night. Arthur definitely obeys.  
  
"Don't have any clean sheets," Arthur says, standing in the doorway. He rubs at one of his eyes, suddenly very tired.  
  
"If only we knew what a drama this would be when we decided to stop using condoms," Merlin teases.  
  
"Ha ha," Arthur answers with a roll of his eyes. He strips the sheets off and replaces them with the flat sheet, awkwardly tucking it in. As soon as Merlin moves to the bed, a corner comes undone. It's certainly not perfect, but it works.  
  
"Do you mind if I'm big spoon tonight?" Merlin asks, scooting in beside Arthur. Arthur moves onto his side and lets Merlin put an arm around him.  
  
"Not one bit. You're taller anyway."  
  
"Mostly I don't need your cock prodding me in the middle of the night."  
  
"And you think I want your cock prodding me?"  
  
"Mm, not tonight, maybe tomorrow morning." He chuckles before kissing the back of Arthur's neck. He holds on close.  
  


 


	2. Chapter 2

By the end of the month, things fall into a more normal pattern. Everyone's getting along and while Gwen and Lance continue to keep their distance, it becomes more apparent there's no animosity there. They're just two different people who fell in love very hard and fast and there was nothing to hold onto there. Merlin thinks often about all the things Gwen said when she first told him of the breakup. It makes more sense each time, especially when he thinks of them apart instead of together.  
  
He thinks especially of how she said she liked him too much. Sometimes, in the early days of his own relationship, Merlin would worry that maybe he didn't actually like Arthur at all and it was just because he was flattered by his interest and attention. About half of his flirting was in the form of teasing Arthur, after all, and trying to be wittier than he was. Gwen and Lance had truly liked each other, the kind of liking where they hung on every word but Merlin couldn't imagine being with someone like that forever. It worked different ways for different people, he supposed.  
  
For instance, for Gwaine, he acknowledges searching for him in a crowded club, he's unsure if the liking will continue at all once it's mutual. They're all out on a Friday for Freya's birthday, but Freya had turned in early, feeling overwhelmed by the attention, and the remaining group headed to a club. As Gwaine's personal wrangler, Merlin went in search of him once himself and Arthur were set to leave. He imagines that for Gwaine, everything's about the pursuit. When he met his friend for the first time, he developed a bit of a crush and Gwaine readily flirted back. Once he got him into bed for a weekend, all that remained was a warm, friendly regard.  
  
Merlin weaves through the crowd, hoping to find his friend somewhere in the throng of people. He almost overlooks the two figures against the wall, the taller man hunched over the shorter, the moment where the floodgates let loose. He's granted a clear sight, just in that moment to see Percy's mouth press against Gwaine's, to see a deepening kiss. Someone moves in his line of sight, though, and the next he sees is Percy pulling away, as if shocked, and then the look of hurt in his other friend's eyes. By the time he arrives, it's replaced with the typical jovial mischief he's come to know Gwaine for.  
  
"Arthur and I are heading home," he explains. "Do you want to go with?"  
  
"No." Gwaine shakes his head. He looks sober enough. For now. "I think I- I need some more time out. I'll text you when I get in, alright?"  
  
"Just don't do anything you'll regret, Gwaine," he warns. It's exactly the reaction he anticipates that will drive Percy further away, but there's no use voicing the concern.  
"I don't have regrets."  
  
"Yeah, yeah." Merlin steps away, deliberately not scanning the room for Percy.  
  


That Sunday, Merlin decides to volunteer. Arthur was busy reading manuscripts and he wanted to give him space. He didn't want Arthur to feel limited, like he owned all of his time on the weekends. Both Lance and Percy are at the shelter that morning. Lance stands by a cage, trying to coax a shy puppy from the corner when he approached him.  
  
"Hello, stranger. How are you this weekend?" he asks, offering his friend a smile.  
  
"Would be better if this little beast was a bit less shy."  
  
Merlin chuckles. "He'll come around, they always do."  
  
"Not always," Percy cut in and Merlin could swear he heard a sigh escape Lance's lips.  
  
"Not always, no. Sometimes they just...don't. And that's that. But can you blame anyone for trying?" Merlin bites his lip, aware of the heavy parallels.  
  
"No," Percy answers, shaking his head. "But there's a time when you've gotta just acknowledge that things just won't work out a certain way. And sometimes that's okay."  
  
Merlin decides, instead, to change the subject to something related to volunteering. They keep the conversation light for the rest of the morning and feel all the better for it. Towards the end, he receives a text from Arthur asking him to join him for brunch. It's not trying to own all of someone's time when they're the one who initiates, right?

**Author's Note:**

> The sex scene in this one got away from me a bit! Apologies.


End file.
